amigo2@ihuxq.UUCP (John Hobson) (01/17/84)
A few days ago, I posted an article on St. Augustine of Hippo's views on sex. This is something in the way of a follow-up article, defending St. Augustine, lest you think that he was just a puritanical bastard out to condemn everyone for enjoying sex. He was a brilliant writer and thinker, and his CONFESSIONS is one of the finest autobiographies written in any language--although to appreciate the full beauty of it, it should be read in Latin. His book on the Trinity (DE TRINITATE) is a first class work of theology (with a marvellous forward which has something to the effect of "If you disagree with what I am saying here, do not condemn me out of hand, but read it and consider it. If I am still alive, I will be happy to discuss it with you, and you may convince me that I am wrong. I certainly know that I don't have all the answers.") However, what I want to write about is Augustine's masterpiece, his CITY OF GOD. This book is a classic in Christian literature and thought, while also giving a badly needed psychological boost. Let me explain. In Augustine's time (about 400 AD), the Roman empire had stood for over a thousand years, although it had been in decay for a long time. The thought of Rome falling was unimaginable. And yet, Rome was sacked by the barbarians and it was made painfully obvious to all that the empire (at least in the west, the eastern empire soldiered on for another millenium) was dead. This came as a terrible psychological blow to every civilized person, a shock so profound that it is almost impossible for us to comprehend anything like it. Augustine's CITY OF GOD said that there were two "cities", the city of God--signified by the heavenly Jerusalem in the Book of Revelations--and the city of man--signified by Rome. The city of God is eternal and perfect--the Platonic ideal of a city (Augustine was heavily influenced by the neo-Platonism of Plotinus), while the city of man is temporary and imperfect. (This, as you will note, is another example of how Augustine had not shaken off Manichaeanism completely.) Thus, it was natural that Rome should fall, but the heavenly kingdom would remain and would prevail in the end ("I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. And he...showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven...." Revelations 21:9-10). This was a great comfort to those who read it, and went a long way towards establishing the attitude towards heaven that Christians have had ever since. John Hobson AT&T Bell Labs Naperville, IL (312) 979-7293 ihnp4!ihuxq!amigo2